well the first
time. Persist in your arrangement, and by and by the family will learn
that if they want anything of you, they must wait until after dinner."

"But what can a man do?" replied his wife; "he cannot go down town
without a shirt-bosom."

"I was in a bad case," replied Mr. James, "it may not happen again. I am
anxious to have you try the month out faithfully, and then we will see
what has come of it."

The second day of trial was a stormy one. As the morning was dark,
Bridget over-slept, and consequently breakfast was too late by an hour.
This lost hour Mrs. James could not recover. When the clock struck
eleven, she seemed but to have commenced her morning's work, so much
remained to be done. With mind disturbed and spirits depressed, she left
her household matters "in the suds," as they were, and punctually
retired to her study. She soon found, however, that she could not fix
her attention upon any intellectual pursuit. Neglected duties haunted
her, like ghosts around the guilty conscience. Perceiving that she was
doing nothing with her books, and not wishing to lose the morning
wholly, she commenced writing a letter. Bridget interrupted her before
she had proceeded far on the first page.

"What, ma'am, shall we have for dinner? No marketing ha'n't come."

"Have some steaks, then."

"We ha'n't got none, ma'am."

"I will send out for some, directly."

Now there was no one to send but Amy, and Mrs. James knew it. With a
sigh, she put down her letter and went into the nursery.

"Amy, Mr. James has forgotten our marketing. I should like to have you
run over to the provision store, and order some beef-steaks. I will stay
with the baby."

Amy was not much pleased to be sent out on this errand. She remarked,
that "she must change her dress first."

"Be as quick as possible," said Mrs. James, "for I am particularly
engaged at this hour."

Amy neither obeyed, nor disobeyed, but managed to take her own time,
without any very deliberate intention to do so. Mrs. James, hoping to
get along with a sentence or two, took her German book into the nursery.
But this arrangement was not to master Charley's mind. A fig did he care
for German, but "the kitties," he must have, whether or no--and kitties
he would find in that particular book--so he turned its leaves over in
great haste. Half of the time on the second day of trial had gone, when
Amy returned and Mrs. James with a sigh, left her nursery. Before one
o'